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Check out LLBean's sale pages for some interesting discounts. I noticed previously that the Orion series of rods and reels weren't to be found on the website and that the reels were not available in-store; looks like they were discontinued?(I'm very late on this I guess) No idea of the details (some rumblings of bad blood between Bean and Loomis, their supplier), but you can reap the benefits with half-price Orion rods online (5 wt and 8 wt only available for $130 and $150, respectively, or half-price) or check a retail store if theres one near you. Bean's "top of the line" rod with their legendary guarantee for that price...think about it.

You know how sometimes (most times for me at least) you find it just a bit too difficult to leave the water? I mean, it's time to go, you know it, I know it...there's someone waiting, it's getting late, or dark, or light, or cold or hot, rainy or sunny, crowded or deserted, you're famished or thirsty, loops are getting ugly...t is for time to leave. But you can't. You're just not finished yet.

Don't quit...don't even quit.Gotta finish out the run, or put that last decent cast/drift/swing together. Gotta get that one last rising fish in the corner to commit...or at least show him one last variation. Just one more...

Gotta end on a good note.

Never mind that your buddies are staring daggers into the back of your head from the running car or the lady is wiping your number from her phone.

Sometimes you just need one more cast.

"The Trip" still consumes me. Can't help it. Probably won't be able to do much about it until next fall. There were ple…

I called out for a killerI looked for a knifeI drank from this riverIt ruined my lifeI saw him comin' at me Empty and so coldI never knew emotionTill he caught me in his foldPart III; Last Days

It doesn't take much to change the entire mood, outlook, perception of a trip. We've all been on either side of the tracks at one time or another, the beneficiary or victim to a minor shift in events that starts gaining momentum, for better or worse. Averaging less than one fish per four angler-days, our once bright armor was starting to show the wear and tear of frustration. Sure, we were having fun. To this point, it was a very successful vacation. It's hard to complain whenever you can do what you love for an extended period. In terms of an overall angling experience however, we were rapidly approaching failure mode. Hitting morning thruway-rush-hour at Rochester, approaching Syracuse, and then turning north, I wondered how much gas I had left.

As much as I hate to admit it, there are times when scouting is simply a foolish proposition. Aside from the standard tenets of locating fishy water and, in turn, fish, I subscribe to the beliefs that 1) the most enjoyable fishing is away from the crowds and 2) you should never leave fish to find fish. Naturally, these two beliefs are often at odds with each other, as crowded areas are usually so for a reason. How you resolve the situation in unknown territory under less than ideal conditions can make or break a trip.This is the story of how we (almost) broke it.

"CAMERA! CAMERAAAAAA!"

Day 1 of 9. I had just landed Fish 1 of the trip. I was beginning to ponder the potentially bad omen when I heard someone screaming a measurable distance downstream.

"EDDIE! CAMERAAAAAH!"

Sounded like some jackass asshat had hooked a fish and lost all common sense and courtesy. Took me a minute to remember my own name and realize Brian was into something decent and quite enthused about i…

'B-mar gets to milk the bull.' It's approaching 11 PM on a Friday night and we have been on the road for over 5 hours so far. We got off the highway 40 minutes ago and seem to be doing circles through hill and field as the glow of Buffalo repeatedly brightens and wanes in the distance. Texts between driving parties are getting progressively antagonistic. 'I think the GPS is lost' 'It's 55 here...not 25...' 'These dairy farms all look the same...' 'Wait...these dairy farms are all the same...' 'Nah...we good.' And then I get the call... "Yo...yeah, we're almost there...we're still about 15 minutes out...we're crossing the river just down the road, thought you might want to take a look...yeah, we're still above the dam, but only a couple miles...alright, see you in a few." 200' below it's pitch black, but a glistening surface tells me it has started. To the right, at the bridge rail, is a sign. I saw it, an…

I'm woefully underprepared for November. 10 days, 2 lakes, +/-7 counties and as many rivers. Haven't had a chance to quite "dial-in" the switch rod. Dozens of flies still to tie. And at least 1 trip between then and now just to make sure things are working.

Statewide trout season closes Thursday at midnight. That leaves 3 days to get back to Default. Weather looks OK other than tomorrow. Wonder how many trips I can squeeze in before zero-hour.

Very much enjoyed the past 2 weekends on the Salmon. Miss Hannah got to see what it's all about this weekend. We saw it all. Fishermen, hooligans, vistas, shops, lakeside sunsets, campfire rain. Everywhere was crowded, though not as bad as I expected, and nothing compared to the number of fish at the hatchery. Didn't fish, but watched and discussed anglers vs liners vs snaggers; casting vs chuck 'n' duck; fighting a fish vs standing in the water like an asshat, rod bent, line stretched 150 yards downst…

Forgotten or ignored? Hey, prob shouldn't piss off one of the largest groups of could-be supporters of this initiative by not including them. Alright...e'r-body back tuh the pile...errrr...drawing board.

On a related note, got an abbreviated spey lesson from Walt Geryk on the Salmon this weekend. First time meeting, and from what I can tell, helluva guy. The success story of the weekend was all the knowledge I gained from him, Keith Collins, Chris Stiles and on my own trying out new things, all for the price of gas and a campsite. Even ran into Geoff throwing some nice loops from across the river Saturday night. Would have been nice to at least hook a salmon (or trout...), but a single good tug, a landed fallfish, and a lot of learning were more than enough to make it worthwhile. Now...need to shell out for a little more gear, get the tying on, and head back out! Oh yeah...and my shoulders are burning...need to work on that form.

I've been anticipating these trib trips for the past 6 months. I have yet to make the first 2009 run. I have hundreds of eggs and dozens of comets, leeches and streamers tied. I've got a new sweet little two-hander that needs breaking-in. I'm dying to land a 20+ lb'er. And, just now, I found myself daydreaming of single digit temps, frozen fingertips, sipping bourbon, pulling half-pound perch after perch through a 6" hole.

my hand spasms, 'neath my head, from hours at the vise...or is it from another sweet tasting vice? thoughts of the day's thoughts. never time to tie. never time to write. never time to fish. no casting practice. no working on drifts. so much for tomorrow. so much yet to learn.

i drift in and out of conversations had. runs fished. runs to be fished. acorns. mudders. aquifers. karst. estaz or spawn. leech or spey. comet or intruder. conversations to be had. campfires and beers and tales of the days hardships. everything degenerates to internet message boards. and the pull.

the air is cool. she left the window open. not near cool as those october fogs. 'nor november rains. december lake effect. janebruary winds. march thaws...if we're lucky. thigh deep. still, i shiver. not in cold.

Ahhh yes, the never ending fight against invasive insects. The Asian long-horned beetle is making it's way to our area. It can take a heavy toll on hardwoods, affecting forestry and other natural resource industries, and, of course, recreation, not to mention the ecological toll. If you're interested in learning about the insect and how to keep an eye out for it on your property or strolls through the woods, LGA and CCE are teaming up to give presentations next week;

Emily DeBolt from the Lake George Association and Laurel Gailor from Cornell Cooperative Extension of Warren County will explain how to survey your land for forest pests, how to identify various forest insects, and what to do if you think you have found an Asian long-horned beetle. They will be presenting a program in Lake George at the LGA office on Tuesday Aug. 11 at 7 pm and in Ticonderoga at the Town Hall on Wednesday Aug. 12 at 7 pm.

Laurel being a friend-of-the-family and one of the people who helped encou…

Seriously? Is this worth all the hubbub? OK, we get it, lots of things are catchable, "on the fly." Cool, guy caught another shark. So?

Don't get me wrong, it's cool that he fly fishes for sharks. It's cool that he caught the most feared predator of the sea. But the story barely arouses a passing interest with me, except the annoyance at seeing it around every internet corner.

What do these stories actually offer? What about this story is applicable to the people reading and spreading it? To me, its no more pertinant than celebrity gossip in the tabloids.

Maybe I'm just cranky because this meeting keeps getting called in then re-delayed. Or maybe I'm tired from catching 150 lbs of salmon this weekend. Suck it.

When the water is down, there's a lot of territory to explore on the delta. Not enough to truly get lost, being situated at the nexus of 3 cities, 2 major river systems, a state park, railroad, multiple automobile bridges and a DPW center, but impressively, more than enough to lose yourself and experience what nature has been able to seek the delta's refuge.

This year every visit to the islands (but 1) has resulted in at least hearing a deer. Yesterday I saw the same doe twice on opposite sides of a side channel within an hour. I've jumped rabbits, been rushed by geese, stepped on catfish, and been a homing beacon for caddis. There are secluded places, believe it or not, where you almost feel in the wilderness. All you can hear is the rushing water and wind, and if you don't strain too hard, you can't even see the buildings in the distance. Surrounded by river, shale, forest...and these;

Yup, I'm lazy. And busy. And would rather fish than type. But...I'm also annoyed.

When I see a report entitled "_____ River Grand Slam," be it on a fourm or blog, I get excited. I can't wait to see what species constitute the Slam. I mean, it's usually pretty easy to guess, if you know the river (even by name), but it's just cool to see.

Inevitably, though, I tend to be quite disappointed.

"Some NYC watershed grand slam today...landed a bunch of rainbows...one big brown...just as I was leaving got this brookie. The end."

WTF. Can't you count? You got the wrong sport, Sport. What you just landed was a hat-trick. And my ire.

Hat tricks are great. Good on ya. But it ain't a slam. Is it nit-picky? Am I just being a doucher? Probably. But I'm OK with that.

The trout season pseudo-opener is Wednesday. Luckily, the weather doesn't look especially promising, which will make sitting at my desk all that much more bearable.

Took a scouting run to Default this Saturday. I was impressed, encouraged and disturbed all at once. I didn't see any fish activity, but the water looked very fishable and the meltwater flows have rearranged the pool slightly to make it more interesting (read: easier to nymph). I'm a bit afraid though, that the relatively moderate and crystal flows I saw on Saturday might mean virtually no water by June. Aside from that, Default is probably well on it's way to losing fishability for a Wednesday afternoon trip.

"'one with the long socks' (a name improvised for me by one of "her" kids) you better catch a fishy using my wonderful fly or else you're fired =)"

The plan was to swing with her pink-and-purple bunny leech through the Salmon , without losing it, until it brought in a fish...or longer.

I thought I could at least pull a brown at the typical spot. I was wrong. And it got crowded fast.

The water was high, the sun was bright, I was discouraged. Headed north to visit a friend and ended up spending all sunday up there as well. We made a half-hearted (me being the half) run at a knee-high brook that had been producingthe day before. I saw a few, but hooked only branches.

Stopped off at another creek on the way back home. Ended up spending the entire afternoon there. Unfortunately, the size, layout, and snags made me give up on getting her fly to the fish. Fortunately, I had plenty of yellow and orange s…

"It’s tempting to dismiss Twitter fever as a passing fad, the Pokémon of the blogosphere. But it’s beginning to look more like yet another gateway drug to full-blown media narcissism.

It’s not just television, of course. Ordinary people, bloggers and even columnists and book authors, who all already have platforms for their views, feel compelled to share their split-second aperçus, no matter how mundane."Sure, there's legit value in it as well, and maybe, some day, I'll see the light. But for now...I'll pass on this whole twitter mania thing. What...I don't have enough going on already?

Capt Gordon's post about checking himself out on wikipedia inspired me to do the same. I wish I hadn't. Turns out I was a pretty notorious cyber-criminal turned real-life criminal. Ouch. And if that wasn't bad enough...

FBI-mug shot from the Wikipedia article...the spitting image of the real Me...after a rough weekend (or as I sit here typing this, unshaven, in a dirty tshirt)So, of course, a little disheartened but my curiosity piqued, I figured Google had to have something a little more uplifting. Perhaps something spotlighting FH, or my illustrious football career...or just some stupid story leaked by foolish college buddies. Instead...it just told me I'm going to Hell...and 248 of 250 people poled agreed. Damn.Oh, and while we're at it...Backpacker brings great news from the Capitol. You gotta be fistf&^%&% me!

Registration fee is $35 for non-students and includes a banquet reception. I have been informed that, for those that prefer to forego the banquet, registration to observe the presentations is $10; unfortunately the website does not reflect this, but I will just enclose a note with my check and hopefully that will suffice.

The presentations range from very technical to slightly technical, skip the ones you're not interested in.

I know it's always risky to think of spring in March...in the Northeast...but I think we're there. Why?

Well, Saturday FT, Brian, Joe and I hit the delta looking for...well...anything. Generally, I'll fish it anywhere between 600 cfs (the bottom, and yes, it gets that low) and 2,500 cfs. Saturday was around 5k, but clear(ish) and very fishable...other than probably being somewhere between 32 and a balmy 32.9 degrees.

Didn't catch anything, but felt a couple tugs between us (that sounds dirty). It was good to get out, and cool to see the river where it was. Even though the water was a bit high, we were able to cross the lower riffles to Peebles Island, in part because the clear water helped me see where to put my feet. Anyway, the Horshoe Falls were running pretty good.

"Ed, I got friend from work who has access 2 a cabin in alaska, talk about a 4 day lic 4 salmon in june, u interested? I need 2 lern how 2 fish again can u help" [sic]

I had to put the phone down for a minute and close my eyes after seeing that text a few nights ago. How do you respond to something like this? My first intuition was, to quote the legendary Mr. Chappelle:

"I’m broke n*, I’m broke!!!"

I spent most of yesterday zoning out of meetings concocting schemes that would get me out there. So far, viability has been where they fall apart. But...you can help!

Alex has untold fortunes of revenue pouring in from advertisers, and he's looking for something to do with all this excess cash. Here's where you come in (Part 1); leave him a comment and vote for Option 4: Send FoulHooked to Alaska.

Once we get that taken care of, that should get us well on our way to our goal of $TBD, but you're not done yet you can still choos…

For everyone and anyone who fishes, has to live with someone who fishes, doesn't "get" fishing, has never fished, it is imperitive that you read Gaper's explanation of why we do it, how we justify it, and how and why Fly Fishing Will Ruin Your Life.

"If you do it right, fishing will make you a lonely old misanthrope whose equity includes a beater truck, a slumping trailer near a body of water, several cases of beer, a small “garden” out back and whole rooms overflowing with rods, reels, lines, partridge skins, vices, bobbins, tweezers, nippers, silicone, prescription pills and hooks in every size shape and color imaginable. Your only friends will be your dog, the guys at the fly shop and the few friends who, like you, have managed to avoid the lull of domesticity."

Also, DEC has released a list of Possible Changes to Sportfishing Regulations for 2010. Of particular interest to me is removing an outdated provision, applicable to a significant portion of the state, allowing for a creel limit of 5 additional brook trout under 8 inches, above the 5 trout statewide limit. We all (well, most of us) realize the brookies have had a rough go at it due to our impacts, we should give them a bit of a break with this rule change. We should be trying to retain, protect and expand remaining wild and native fish stocks, not over-encouraging their harvest. Besides...I never end up catching my limi…

With all this talk about the AMFF and Cheney (enough already, we get it, everyone is pissed off...move on or do something about it) you might need something to brighten your day. Mike's post (specifically, photo) over at Steel should do the trick (if it doesn't sink you into deep depression for not being there).

Hey, as long as they're out there, I could give a rats ass about how Cheney fits into fly fishing, and who's gonna boycott the AMFF (not me, there's too much value in having them around, even if they are selling out). Now...somebody want to fly me out west?

(Oh yeah, and if/when the girl reads this...you know I'm just kidding. Now go get some waders and learn to swing! um, er, spey!)

...got a little safer yesterday. The EPA administrative rule change (spurred on by the Bush administration) that would have threatened the north east with continuing (and perhaps additional) mercury pollution is dead.

Be proud, ADK'ers; and post those stickers (mine is still in a pile of mail somewhere...).

I'm officially there. I promised myself it wouldn't happen. But there's nothing I can do about it.

I'm going stir crazy waiting for spring.

The plan was periodic trips to places like Pulaski and Eagleville, spaced out to carry me through winter. Instead, I shot my wad on the Salmon in autumn, and with bills piling up (including a brake overhaul over the holidays), I'm stuck in Albany County until spring.

Every day I cross over some of my summer hotspots on the way to/from work. Every day I slow down on the bridges just a little more than the day before, trying to see if access is even remotely reasonable yet. Every day I check the flow and wonder...do you think the smallies are still there? Would it be worthwhile to check? Is risking life and limb to catch a warmwater fish in February really necessary?

We (Mitch, Brian, Hannah and I) took a walk down Ontario Street yesterday. It was almost more than I could handle. For some reason, the lady was less enthused t…

Work on re-finishing some furniture.Finish moving my stuff (I know, should already be done by now...but hey).Watch the dog.Entertain the girlfriend.Hit the farmers market.Make some soup.Pick up some more furniture to be re-finished.

Really, should be quite relaxing, and won't require much in the way of monitary expenditures.

So, my question is, what else do I need to throw in for you so I can head to Pulaski for a couple days?

Cause and effect or unfortunate coincidence? They are currently unable to link several methane contaminated residential water wells with natural gas production in the area, but it's hard to imagine they are not. Still, things aren't always that simple; that's why issues like this go to independent arbitration.

Centered on my neighborhood...courtesy of Microsoft Live Search Maps. Fishing from work until dark and again dark until work. Spirits can flow as the sun sets; I'll simply walk home and pick up the car in the morning.

I live for the cold, but fair weather presents more opportunities...especially when your back (and front...and side and other side...) yard is a warmwater haven.

I'm sure you've heard by now (if you haven't, you were probably too caught up in Super Bowl hype), another of the best of American authors died last week.

Why do I like Updike so much? I can't describe his writing nearly as eloquently as some, but, to me, he makes his characters and their trials infinitely relate-able; and the details of everyday life, no matter how seemingly mundane, ultimately beautiful.

I have read many Updike short stories, and I just finished Rabbit, Run and am a little into Rabbit Redux. My passion for reading Updike is following closely my deepening passion for fly-fishing. To me, if his words don't get to you on some emotional level...you should probably stick to comic books.

Alex decides to add another layer to FTF's Fly Tyer of the Year Contest. Just make sure you let him know who sent you...we'll split the winnings...(I'll photocopy a few pages from my subscription for you).

The Daily Gazette this morning carried the AP story about some of what's happening with all those Nature Conservancy lands in the Adirondack Park that were acquired in last year's Finch Pruyn deal. Looks like we might be getting some use out of them sooner than expected.

Better than half of the original 161k acres is being sold off to a logging company...I know what you're thinking...but;

"The next company, which [TNC] declined to identify, will get the land subject to conservation easements that prevent development and require logging according to certified "green" standards. "

OK, so they're going to log it. OK, so "certified green standards" is pretty ambiguous at this point. But, the good news is, when we make our perennial jaunts to Newcomb, I have some more water to check out. And you do too.

It's a good thing. This is the way the park was envisioned when established. A balance between forever wild lands and sustainable local …

When I can't get out and see a bit of nature, I rely on NatureGirl to give me a glimpse of her day. Today was certainly no let down. Kinda makes me miss the days of constantly stepping in rabbit and deer droppings.

February...the month of purity, mud, pearls...new beginnings as I move next door to carp and smallies, 10 minutes further from Default and her trout.

Mr. Phil will be popping out shortly to let us know how much winter is left...and I still don't have a 3 wt yet...

No worries, I'm watching ebay and have several contingency plans waiting just in case. There's still plenty of time before I'll even have a chance to use a small stream rod, but it's hard not to feel anxious knowing it isn't leaning in the corner ready to go at a moments notice.

I don't know how many eggs and leeches it would take to save a whole fish...I better get tying.

If you're on StalkerBook too, you can check out the Flies for Fins group. People are posting pictures of what they're sending, and that's kinda cool, but I don't think anything I make should be forced upon human eyes. Maybe people will pay not to have to look at them.

I have to say, Hughes' book is quite good. I like the way it's written, and the pictures are of course excellent. Anyway, the Young Miss has had her interest in fly tying piqued, and we've flipped through a few times, noting for which I have materials (and skills) available to tie, and which patterns she has to tie (that sparkly furled-yarn damsel is a must-have in so many colors).

Of course, this new-found interest has lead to some other surprising developments. For instance, out of the blue one day, she exclaimed, "Hey! I could cut some of my hair off to tie flies!"

Now, I know we've all thought that at one time or another (...wait, you're telling me I'm the only one…

That looks fishable, right? Maybe in 4 months. 2009 Goal for Default: Head upstream and find some wild brookies. Hopefully, I'll still be living close enough to visit on a daily basis. Somehow I'm gonna have to scrape together enough scratch to replace my 3 wt by then. Those Bean gift cards might help. Unless you know of a better way.